ThenextinventorwasJonathanHulls，ofCampden，inGloucestershire。Hepatentedasteamboatin1736，andworkedthepaddle-wheelplacedatthesternofthevesselbymeansofaNewcomenengine。HetriedhisboatontheRiverAvon，atEvesham，butitdidnotsucceed，andtheenginewastakenonshoreagain。Alocalpoetcommemoratedhisfailureinthefollowinglines，whichwererememberedlongafterhissteamboatexperimenthadbeenforgotten:——
“JonathanHull，Withhispaperskull，TriedhardtomakeamachineThatshouldgoagainstwindandtide；
Buthe，likeanass，Couldn’tbringittopass，Soatlastwasashamedtobeseen。“
Nothingofimportancewasdoneinthedirectionofasteam-engineabletodrivepaddles，untiltheinventionbyJamesWatt，in1769，ofhisdouble-actingengine——thefirststepbywhichsteamwasrenderedcapableofbeingsuccessfullyusedtoimpelavessel。ButWattwasindifferenttotakingupthesubjectofsteamnavigation，aswellasofsteamlocomotion。Herefusedmanyinvitationstomakesteam-enginesforthepropulsionofships，preferringtoconfinehimselftohis“regularestablishedtradeandmanufacture，“thatofmakingcondensingsteam-engines，whichhadbecomeofgreatimportancetowardsthecloseofhislife。
Tworecordsexistofpaddle-wheelsteamboatshavingbeenearlytriedinFrance——onebytheComted’AuxironandM。Perrierin1774，theotherbytheComtedeJouffroyin1783——butthenoticesoftheirexperimentsareveryvague，andrestonsomewhatdoubtfulauthority。
Theidea，however，hadbeenborn，andwasnotallowedtodie。
WhenMr。MillerofDalswintonhadrevivedthenotionofpropellingvesselsbymeansofpaddle-wheels，worked，asSaveryhadbeforeworkedthem，bymeansofacapstanplacedinthecentreofthevessel，andwhenhecomplainedtoSymingtonofthefatiguecausedtothemenbyworkingthecapstan，andSymingtonhadsuggestedtheuseofsteam，Mr。Millerwasimpressedbytheidea，andproceededtoorderasteam-engineforthepurposeoftryingtheexperiment。TheboatwasbuiltatEdinburgh，andremovedtoDalswintonLake。ItwastherefittedwithSymington’ssteam-engine，andfirsttriedwithsuccessonthe14thofOctober，1788，ashasbeenrelatedatlengthinMr。Nasmyth’s’Autobiography。’TheexperimentwasrepeatedwithevengreatersuccessinthecharlotteDundasin1801，whichwasusedtotowvesselsalongtheForthandClydeCanal，andtobringshipsuptheFirthofForthtothecanalentranceatGrangemouth。
Theprogressofsteamnavigationwasneverthelessveryslow。
Symington’sexperimentswerenotrenewed。TheCharlotteDundaswaswithdrawnfromuse，becauseofthesupposedinjurytothebanksoftheCanal，causedbytheswellfromthewheel。ThesteamboatwaslaidupinacreekatBainsford，whereitwenttoruin，andtheinventorhimselfdiedinpoverty。AmongthosewhoinspectedthevesselwhileatworkwereFulton，theAmericanartist，andHenryBell，theGlasgowengineer。Theformerhadalreadyoccupiedhimselfwithmodelsteamboats，bothatParisandinLondon；andin1805heobtainedfromBoultonandWatt，ofBirmingham，thesteam-enginerequiredforpropellinghispaddlesteamboatontheHudson。TheClermontwasfirststartedinAugust，1807，andattainedaspeedofnearlyfivemilesanhour。
Fiveyearslater，HenryBellconstructedandtriedhisfirststeamerontheClyde。
Itwasnotuntil1815thatthefirststeamboatwasseenontheThames。ThiswastheRichmondpacket，whichpliedbetweenLondonandRichmond。ThevesselwasfittedwiththefirstmarineengineHenryMaudslayevermade。Duringthesameyear，theMargery，formerlyemployedontheFirthofForth，beganplyingbetweenGravesendandLondon；andtheThames，formerlytheArgyll，cameroundfromtheClyde，encounteringroughseas，andmakingthevoyageof758milesinfivedaysandtwohours。Thiswasthoughtextraordinarilyrapid——thoughthevoyageofabout3000miles，fromLiverpooltoNewYork，cannowbemadeinonlyabouttwodays’moretime。
Innearlyallseagoingvessels，thePaddlehasnowalmostentirelygivenplacetotheScrew。Itwaslongbeforethisinventionwasperfectedandbroughtintogeneraluse。Itwasnottheproductionofoneman，butofseveralgenerationsofmechanicalinventors。Aperfectedinventiondoesnotburstforthfromthebrainlikeapoeticthoughtorafineresolve。Ithastobeinitiated，labouredover，andpursuedinthefaceofdisappointments，difficulties，anddiscouragements。
Sometimestheideaisborninonegeneration，followedoutinthenext，andperhapsperfectedinthethird。Inanageofprogress，oneinventionmerelypavesthewayforanother。Whatwasthewonderofyesterday，becomesthecommonandunnoticedthingofto-day。
ThefirstideaofthescrewwasthrownoutbyJamesWattmorethanacenturyago。MatthewBoulton，ofBirmingham，hadproposedtomovecanalboatsbymeansofthesteam-engine；andDr。Small，hisfriend，wasincommunicationwithJamesWatt，thenresidingatGlasgow，onthesubject。InaletterfromWatttoSmall，datedthe30thSeptember，1770，theformer，afterspeakingofthecondenser，andsayingthatitcannotbedispensedwith，proceeds:
“Haveyoueverconsideredaspiraloarforthatpurpose[propulsionofcanalboats]，orareyoufortwowheels？“Wattaddedapen-and-inkdrawingofhisspiraloar，greatlyresemblingtheformofscrewafterwardspatented。Nothing，however，wasactuallydone，andtheideaslept。
Itwasrevivedagainin1785，byJosephBramah，awonderfulprojectorandinventor。[5]Hetookoutapatent，whichincludedarotatorysteam-engine，andamodeofpropellingvesselsbymeanseitherofapaddle-wheelora“screwpropeller。“Thispropellerwas“similartotheflyofasmoke-jack“；butthereisnoaccountofBramahhavingpracticallytriedthismethodofpropulsion。
Austria，also，claimsthehonouroftheinventionofthescrewsteamer。AtTriesteandViennaarestatueserectedtoJosephRessel，onwhosebehalfhiscountrymenlayclaimtotheinvention；andpatentsforsomesortofascrewdatebackasfaras1794。
PatentswerealsotakenoutinEnglandandAmerica——byW。
Lyttletonin1794；byE。Shorterin1799；byJ。C。Stevens，ofNewJersey，in1804；byHenryJamesin1811——butnothingpracticalwasaccomplished。RichardTrevethick，theanticipatorofmanythings，alsotookoutapatentin1815，andinithedescribesthescrewpropellerwithconsiderableminuteness。
Millington，Whytock，Perkins，Marestier，andBrownfollowed，withnobetterresults。
ThelateDr。Birkbeck，inaletteraddressedtothe’Mechanics’
Register，’intheyear1824，claimedthatJohnSwan，of82，MansfieldStreet，KingslandRoad，London，wasthepracticalinventorofthescrewpropeller。JohnSwanwasanativeofColdingham，Berwickshire。HehadremovedtoLondon，andenteredtheemploymentofMessrs。Gordon，ofDeptford。Swanfittedupaboatwithhispropeller，andtrieditonasheetofwaterinthegroundsofCharlesGordon，Esq。，ofDulwichHill。“Thevelocityandsteadinessofthemotion，“saidDr。Birkbeckinhisletter，“sofarexceededthatofthesamemodelwhenimpelledbypaddle-wheelsdrivenbythesamespring，thatIcouldnotdoubtitssuperiority；andthestillnessofthewaterwassuchastogivethevesseltheappearanceofbeingmovedbysomemagicalpower。“
Thencomesanotherclaimant——Mr。RobertWilson，thenofDunbarnotfarfromColdingham，butafterwardsoftheBridgewaterFoundry，Patricroft。Inhispamphlet，publishedafewyearsago，hestatesthathehadlongconsideredthesubject，andin1827hemadeasmallmodel，fittedwith“revolvingskulls，“whichhetriedonasheetofwaterinthepresenceoftheHon。Capt。
AnthonyMaitland，sonoftheEarlofLauderdale。Theexperimentwassuccessful——sosuccessful，thatwhenthe“sternpaddles“werein1828usedatLeithinaboattwenty-fivefeetlong，withtwomentoworkthemachinery，theboatwaspropelledatanaveragespeedofabouttenmilesanhour；andtheSocietyofArtsafterwards，inOctober，1882，awardedMr。Wilsontheirsilvermedalforthe“description，drawing，andmodelsofsternpaddlesforpropellingsteamboats，inventedbyhim。“Thesubjectwas，in1833，broughtbySirJohnSinclairundertheconsiderationoftheBoardofAdmiralty；butthereportoftheofficialsOliverLang，Abethell，Lloyd，andKingstonwastotheeffectthat“theplanproposedindependentofpracticaldifficultiesisobjectionable，asitinvolvesagreaterlossofpowerthanthecommonmodeofapplyingthewheelstotheside。“Andhereendedtheexperiment，sofarasMr。Wilson’s“sternpaddles“wereconcerned。
Itwillbeobserved，fromwhathasbeensaid，thattheideaofascrewpropellerisaveryoldone。Watt，Bramah，Trevethick，andmanymore，hadgivendescriptionsofthescrew。Trevethickschemedanumberofitsformsandapplications，whichhavebeenthesubjectofmanysubsequentpatents。Ithasbeensowithmanyinventions。Itisnotthemanwhogivesthefirstideaofamachinewhoisentitledtothemeritofitsintroduction，orthemanwhorepeatstheidea，andre-repeatsit，butthemanwhoissodeeplyimpressedwiththeimportanceofthediscovery，thatheinsistsuponitsadoption，willtakenodenial，andattheriskoffameandfortune，pushesthroughallopposition，andisdeterminedthatwhathethinkshehasdiscoveredshallnotperishforwantofafairtrial。Andthatthiswasthecasewiththepracticalintroducerofthescrewpropellerwillbeobviousfromthefollowingstatement。
FrancisPettitSmithwasbornatHythe，inthecountyofKent，in1808。Hisfatherwaspostmasterofthetown，andapersonofmuchzealandintegrity。TheboywassenttoschoolatAshford，andtherereceivedafairamountofeducation，undertheRev。
AlexanderPower。YoungSmithdisplayednospecialcharacteristicexceptapassionforconstructingmodelsofboats。Whenhereachedmanhood，headoptedthebusinessofagrazingfarmeronRomneyMarsh。HeafterwardsremovedtoHendon，northofLondon，wherehehadplentyofwateronwhichtotryhismodelboats。
ThereservoiroftheOldWelshHarpwascloseathand——aplacefamousforitswater-birdsandwildfowl。
Smithmademanymodelsofboats，hisexperimentsextendingovermanyyears。In1834，heconstructedaboatpropelledbyawoodenscrewdrivenbyaspring，theperformanceofwhichwasthoughtextraordinary。Wherehehadgothisoriginalideaisnotknown。
Itwasfloatingaboutinmanyminds，andwasnospecialsecret。
Smith，however，arrivedattheconclusionthathismethodofpropellingsteamvesselsbymeansofascrewwasmuchsuperiortopaddles——atthattimeexclusivelyemployed。Inthefollowingyear，1835，heconstructedasuperiormodel，withwhichheperformedanumberofexperimentsatHendon。InMay1836，hetookoutapatentforpropellingvesselsbymeansofascrewrevolvingbeneaththewateratthestern。HethenopenlyexhibitedhisinventionattheAdelaideGalleryinLondon。SirJohnBarrow，SecretarytotheAdmiralty，inspectedthemodel，andwasmuchimpressedbyitsaction。Duringthetimeitwaspubliclyexhibited，anofferwasmadetopurchasetheinventionforthePachaofEgypt；buttheofferwasdeclined。
Atthisstageofhisoperations，SmithwasjoinedbyMr。Wright，banker，andMr。C。A。Caldwell，whohadthepenetrationtoperceivethattheinventionwasoneofmuchpromise，andweredesirousofhelpingitsintroductiontogeneraluse。TheyfurnishedSmithwiththemeansofconstructingamorecompletemodel。Intheautumnof1836，asmallsteamvesselof10tonsburthenandsixhorse-powerwasbuilt，furthertotesttheadvantagesoftheinvention。Thisboatwasfittedwithawoodenscrewoftwowholeturns。Onthe1stofNovemberthevesselwasexhibitedtothepubliconthePaddingtonCanal，aswellasontheThames，whereshecontinuedtoplyuntilthemonthofSeptember1837。
DuringthetripsupontheThames，ahappyaccidentoccurred，whichfirstsuggestedtheadvantageofreducingthelengthofthescrew。Thepropellerhavingstruckuponsomeobstacleinthewater，aboutone-halfofthelengthofthescrewwasbrokenoff，anditwasfoundthat；thevesselimmediatelyshotaheadandattainedamuchgreaterspeedthanbefore。Inconsequenceofthisdiscovery，anewscrewofasingleturnwasfittedtoher，afterwhichshewasfoundtoworkmuchbetter。
Havingsatisfiedhimselfastotheeligibilityofthepropellerinsmoothwater，Mr。Smiththenresolvedtotakehislittlevesseltotheopensea，andbreastthewindsandthewaves。
Accordingly，oneSaturdayinthemonthofSeptember1837，heproceededinhisminiatureboat，downtheriver，fromBlackwalltoGravesend。Therehetookapilotonboard，andwentontoRamsgate。HepassedthroughtheDowns，andreachedDoverinsafety。Atrialofthevessel’sperformancewasmadethereinthepresenceofMr。Wright，thebanker，andMr。Peake，thecivilengineer。FromDoverthevesselwentontoFolkestoneandHythe，encounteringsevereweather。Nevertheless，theboatbehavedadmirably，andattainedaspeedofoversevenmilesanhour。
Thoughtheweatherhadbecomestormyandboisterous，thelittlevesselneverthelesssetoutonherreturnvoyagetoLondon。
Crowdsofpeopleassembledtowitnessherdeparture，andmanynauticalmenwatchedherprogresswithsolicitudeasshesteamedthroughthewavesunderthesteepcliffsoftheSouthForeland。
Thecourageoftheundertaking，andtheunexpectedgoodperformanceofthelittlevessel，renderedheranobjectofgreatinterestandexcitementasshe“screwed“herwayalongthecoast。